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He was disturbed when Paul's wife Trudy, 36, returned home from a dog walk prompting the suspected burglar to make a hasty retreat.

The shameless fugitive's every move was captured on clear footage from the home surveillance system of victim Paul Selvester (Image: SWNS.com)

He is said to have scarpered into an adjoining bedroom and leapt from a first-floor window, narrowly avoiding concrete steps below, before escaping through a neighbour's garden.

Paul, who lives with his wife and two young children and 15-month-old Labrador, said they were relieved nothing was taken or seriously damaged.

He said: "It's quite shocking the nerve of the guy. Leaving the bathroom window open and the ladder unsecured was probably, in hindsight, a little daft but it's the way he just walks into the garden and does what he does.

"I think he was quite experienced in this, judging by the way he squeezed through the eight inch gap in the window and ran off after jumping from the first floor.

"We're just glad he didn't have more time to actually steal anything or enter the property when my wife or children are alone.

"It's been a massive shock for us. We live in quite a nice area and this has never happened before."

The crystal clear footage has now been passed to police who are appealing for the public to come forward and identify him (Image: SWNS.com)

The burglar broke into the property in Plymouth, Devon, on November 7 at around 11.40am, according to police.

In a three-minute CCTV video, the man is seen slowly emerging into shot and peering through the window. He then creeps up to the back door and glances inside.

Unaware that he is being recorded, he then appears back into shot with a ladder that he extends and places against an open window.